PSG and Real Madrid Head to Champions League Playoffs After Missing Top-8 Cut
For the second consecutive season, European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have failed to finish in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League league phase, condemning both sides to the playoff round in their bid to reach the last 16.
Real Madrid’s fate was sealed on a dramatic night in Lisbon, where they suffered a 4–2 defeat to Benfica at the Estádio da Luz.
The Spanish giants only needed to avoid defeat to secure automatic qualification, and they looked on course early on after Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring. However, Benfica mounted a spirited comeback, outscoring Madrid and handing Alvaro Arbeloa’s side a damaging loss that pushed them outside the top-eight places.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain endured a similarly frustrating evening in Paris. Needing a victory to guarantee a top-eight finish, PSG were held to a 1–1 draw at home by Newcastle United.
The result proved costly, as it denied both the French champions and Magpies themselves the points required for direct qualification and sent them into the playoffs. As a result, both clubs now face an extra hurdle on the road to the knockout stages.
Real Madrid will be drawn against either Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt or Benfica in the playoff round, while PSG are set to face either Qarabag or fellow French outfit AS Monaco.
The playoff first legs are scheduled for February 17 and 18, with the return fixtures to be played on February 24 and 25.